


Five years later, we're still the same

by JynErsoinNYC



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Light Angst, May survived the snap in this fic, Pre-Spider-Man: Far From Home (Movie), Secret Crush, just a really cute reunion, takes place after Tony Stark's funeral in Endgame
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-19
Updated: 2020-09-19
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:01:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26551039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JynErsoinNYC/pseuds/JynErsoinNYC
Summary: Peter and MJ meet again for the first time after Thanos...
Relationships: Michelle Jones & Peter Parker, Michelle Jones/Peter Parker
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	Five years later, we're still the same

When Peter arrived back in Queens, MJ was walking down his street.

At first, he didn't properly register who he was seeing. His mind was still Upstate, at the cabin by the lake. He was still watching the wreath of flowers drift across the water. Still thinking about how Tony had saved everyone's lives, his life, but Peter couldn't save him back.

Aunt May didn't say much during the drive. Usually, she would chatter and tease him, but she seemed to know this wasn't the time for jokes.

May slammed on the breaks when Peter let out a wordless shout. "What is it? Peter?"

Peter was watching her walk past their car, heading away from his apartment block. Her head was down, buried in a book. "It's MJ."

Peter undid his seatbelt and fumbled out of the car. "I'll walk back, May."

He thought he saw her smile as he slammed the door shut, then bounded across the road.

"MJ!"

MJ lowered her book and looked around. Her eyes widened when she saw him. "Peter."

"MJ, oh my god, are you- "

She flung her arms around him. After the initial shock passed, he did the same.

MJ pulled away. "Peter, it was so weird. I woke up and everyone was crying, and then someone said it was twenty-twenty-two."

"I know- "

"When I found out what happened, I didn't think it was true."

Peter nodded. "Neither did I, but...five years ago, I was sixteen. Now, I'm still sixteen."

MJ looked shaken. "Your Aunt?"

Peter was surprised to hear MJ ask about May. He didn't think she had ever really paid his life much attention.

"May survived."

MJ frowned, her book swinging forgotten by her side. "I'm sorry."

Peter felt the guilt punch him in the heart again. Maybe, if they had done more on Titan...if he had done more...than maybe Thanos would never have happened. May wouldn't have lived without him for five years, on her own.

Peter shook away the thought. "Are you okay, MJ?"

She looked down at her feet, then back at him. "I don't think so. Not yet, at least."

They watched each other for a long moment, and Peter briefly wondered if he had something on his face. MJ never held eye contact for more than ten seconds.

"Why are you here?" Peter asked.

MJ shrugged. "I wanted to see you. I don't have anyone else to talk to about it, besides my parents. But they won't stop crying."

Peter gestured over his shoulder, towards his apartment. "May didn't stop for three days."

MJ smiled.

"Do you want to come in?" Peter rocked on his heels, feeling a bit awkward for asking.

They hadn't seen each other for five years, but it really only felt like a week. MJ looked the same, but different. It was disconcerting.

"Um, sure," MJ said. "Thanks."

They walked down the street together, ignoring the buildings that had been neglected during the Blip.

"I didn't go to school last week," MJ announced suddenly. She said it like an explanation.

"I know. I didn't see you," Peter said. "I thought that..."

MJ looked at him.

"I thought maybe you were twenty-one now."

MJ laughed briefly. "So, Ned? Betty?"

Peter shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "Still juniors."

MJ smiled. "Good."

He caught a glimpse of Rockefeller in the far distance, and when he looked back, MJ was looking at him.

"So, why are you in a suit?"

Peter stiffened, not sure what to say. He decided on the truth. "Tony Stark's funeral."

He felt MJ staring at him closely.

"Cause you knew him through the internship?"

Peter inwardly sighed. "Yeah. I...think he liked me."

MJ nodded. "I think he did too."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked nervously.

MJ glanced at him sideways. "Just that you used to talk about him a lot. Anyway, you look different, in a suit."

Peter tugged at his collar. "I think I prefer a Tee."

They arrived at the apartment and took the elevator up seven floors. When they were inside, May came over and hugged MJ for a full minute. MJ stood in her embrace, awkwardly patting her back, meeting Peter's eyes over her shoulder.

"Michelle, I'm so glad you're okay."

MJ smiled. "Thanks, May."

May had tears in her eyes, so Peter handed her a tissue. He had being doing that a lot this past month.

"It's been so long, but you look exactly the same," May sniffled.

MJ shuffled on her feet.

"Please, you have to stay for dinner. I need to know you again."

Peter winced. Why did May have to say things like that? But then again, he could not truly know how May was feeling.

Did she think she needed to know him again?

"Anyways, May," Peter began, taking MJ's wrist. "I'm gonna give MJ some homework to catch up on..."

"Of course," May nodded, ushering them into his room with waves of her hands. "I'll make spaghetti."

As Peter and MJ entered his room, they heard May complaining about the concept of homework four weeks after coming back to life.

Peter struggled with his tie as MJ sat down at his cluttered desk.

"I didn't think May ever knew me that well," she said, looking around his room.

Peter finally yanked the thing over his head, tossing it into the corner.

"I think she's feeling particularly emotional at the moment."

MJ swivelled in the chair. "She's nice."

Peter took off his jacket and fell onto his bed. "I'm not actually gonna give you homework."

MJ snickered.

"You are coming back to school, right?" Peter asked, suddenly wondering whether he would see MJ again.

She nodded. "Yeah, I guess. Don't know what they're gonna teach us, but what else am I gonna do?"

Peter sighed, turning his head. He spotted his Spider-Man suit hanging over the top railing of his bed, not yet noticed by MJ.

He froze, then quickly looked at her. She was sifting through the books on his desk.

Peter reached up and tugged it down, tossing it into the laundry basket by his bed.

MJ looked up. "What's that?" 

Peter felt his heart pounding. "Laundry. Didn't clean my room, cause I didn't think I'd have a guest."

MJ shrugged. "No cleaning necessary."

Peter sighed.

"I feel strange," MJ began, fiddling with one of Peter's screwdrivers. "I don't know what to say to anyone. I can't ask, ‘what's up with you?’ or ‘did you survive?’.”

Peter smiled. "I know. I guess just be normal."

"What is normal anymore?" MJ met his gaze across his room, then shrugged with a smile. "Sorry. I'm being cynical."

"That's normal, though," Peter said, sitting up. "Cynical MJ is normal."

She visibly softened for a moment, like his words were something impactful.

MJ eyed him. "I suppose it is."

May eventually called them out after fifteen minutes of discussing Spanish and Physics and History, purposely avoiding all talk of Thanos and the Blip.

MJ sat across from Peter at their dining table, accepting the mountain of spaghetti May piled onto her plate.

Peter nibbled at a breadstick, listening to May ask a thousand questions to which MJ barely got to answer. She had an interesting way of eating spaghetti, spending more time twisting it around her fork than she did actually chewing it.

"And what do you want to do at college?" May asked her. "If you want to go to college, that is."

MJ sipped a glass of water. "Uh, not sure yet. Maybe politics. Or history."

Peter thought she would be good at either. As for him...

"As for Peter, he's still not wanting to go to college," May raised her eyebrows at him.

Peter shrugged. "Just considering my options."

May gave a disheartened sigh. "You know, before...what happened...I would have been adamant you go. Now, it really is your life and what you choose to do with it."

MJ looked between them, fork stilled in her hand. "I think Peter would be good at physics. Or robotics."

Peter and May looked at her.

"I mean, he's good at them now," MJ explained, going back to her spaghetti. "But at college he would be good.”

May looked over at him. And grinned like a cat with a canary.

Peter rolled his eyes and looked down at his plate.

May went back to her dinner with a satisfied smirk. "That's nice to hear, Michelle."

Peter chanced a brief look at MJ, whom he found looking somewhat startled with herself.

She looked up at him, too, and Peter smiled.

Later, when MJ was leaving, May hugged her again for a record minute and ten seconds, then left Peter to take her out to the elevator.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Peter asked.

MJ gave him an odd look, and he wondered whether he had sounded too hopeful. But she gave a small smile and nodded. "Yes."

Peter swallowed. "I know this will sound totally weird, but...I'm glad you're still sixteen. That you...didn't survive, I guess." He shook his head, shocked at how bad that sounded.

MJ looked briefly like she thought the same thing, but then reached out and placed an awkward hand on his arm. "I am too."

She whispered a thank you, and Peter had a strange feeling she was thanking him for more than dinner, but then the elevator announced its arrival.

MJ gave him one last tentative smile before stepping inside. As the doors were closing, MJ hurriedly said, "I'll see you in Chemistry."

The doors closed.

And even though MJ had always been in Peter's chemistry class, had always sat at the next desk over, he felt like this would be the first time she would properly take notice of him.

And him of her.


End file.
